Air-lift pump.



L. T. EDWARDS.

AIR LIFT PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1918.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

LEVI T. EDWARDS, F PENFIELD, SYLVANIA.

AIR-LIFT PUMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, Lidia.

' Application filed .Tune 5, 1918. Serial No. 238,315.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI T. EDWARDS, a citizen of the 'United States, and a resi dent of Penfield, Delaware county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Air-Lift Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

Some of the'objects of the present invention are to provide in an air lift pump means for reducing the friction of the moving column of water at the inlet end at the eduction pipe; to provide means for intimately mining the compressed air with the water to prevent the formation of airpockets; to provide means for promoting the uniform flow of the body of lifted water; to provide means for maintaining the discharge orifices of the air nozzles clean and free from deposits; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In theaccompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of one form of foot piece for air lift pumps embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan or one unit of the foot piece; Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of one form of foot piece embodying the present invention; Fig. arepresents a section on line 4- of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 represents a section on line 55 of Fig.

Referring to the drawings one form of the present invention is shown as applied to an air lift having an eduction pipe located in a well 11 with its lower or inlet end submerged as in the usual practice, and its up per end projecting out of the well 11 where it is suitably supported to discharge into a reservoir or tank (not shown). 7

For the purpose of lifting a column of water within the pipe 10 air under pressure is employed in the usual manner and delivered adjacent to and below the inlet of the eduction pipe 10 by means consisting, in the present instance, of three delivery pipes 12, which lead from above the ground level to the vicinity of the submerged inlet of the pipe 10. Each of the pipes 12 connects with a suitable source or compressed air by way of separate supply conduits 13 which are respectively controlled by a manually operable valve 14 and each has a T fitting 15 of the three way type for the purpose of providing a separate discharge section 16 for each of the said pipes 12, said sections being respectively controlled by hand valves 17.

In order to intimately mix the discharged end of the eduction pipe 10. The bore 2-2 of the pipe 10, at its juncture with the body 20, is of the same diameter as the diameter of the juxtaposed end of a transverse opening 23 but this latter gradually increases in diameter to form a flaring inlet for directing the water and air into the eduction pipe 10. The delivery pipes 12 are respectively threaded into the body and have communication with the respective passages 24 which in turn are connected to a plurality of depending pipes 25, 26 and 2?, which serve to distribute the incoming compressed air, as will later be described. The pipe is connected to the body 20 and has free communication with its passage 2% in order to receive an unrestricted supply of air for delivery to a ring nozzle 30 which is carried by a hollow rigid arm 31 secured to the pipe 25. The construction is such as to locate the ring nozzle 30 below and concentric with respect to the axis or the main body 20, while the diameter of the ring 30 is less than the diameter of the mouth of the inlet to the body '20. The pipes 25 and 27 also connect with the body 20 and communicate with the respective air receiving passages,

24 and respectively have hollow arms 32 and 33 for rigidly supporting ring nozzles 34: and 35 which are arranged in superposed re: lation below the nozzle 80 and concentric with respect to the axis of? the eduction pipe 10 as well as the nozzle 30. The diameter of the ring nozzle 34 which is next below the ring nozzle 30 is less than the diameter of the ring nozzle 30, and the diameter of the ring nozzle 35 is less than the diameter of the ring nozzle 3% and hence an upwardly moving column of water passes through of nozzles of increasing diameter and all of which in addition are spaced from each other to permit free of water between the nozzles.

F or the purpose ,of intimately mixing the discharged air' with the water the several ring nozzles are each provided with an upper, outer series of discharge orifices 36 and a lower inner series of discharge orifices 37, the former seriesbeing angularly disposed to discharge the air upwardly in the general circulation suiiicientlyr three stages iii ' clowiiwerci direction of the inlet to the nest ecljeccnt wliile cite is cut o ring sozzle and the letter series being 'a'flgltjest te etmcsplsesie pressure "ioi lerly clis sosecl to discharge the air clo'Wn- 111i; oses. l Wenlly and eci'css the column of Wate iiiov- For th purpose of finally mixing sir iiig upwardly tliroueii the 'iing opening, ale column of testing Water as it eiiters "Le Thus the body of water on re- 10 it is preferable to 10mm es spective courses cleiiotetl by assess s c0 51 es lll the ring 20 seal will be thorcuglily ccmmiiiz lecl '1' with the eessege o e While the body of Water on the uncler pressure enteisloji arrow B will else be im metely :sj pi es 12 has free eccess construction prevents the i eiiiiet' 1 seal is discharged therepockets and groiiictes llilli fififil velocity to e series of dewi weidly the moving column cf water. I T e iii; tlieie'fioie order to reduce c e0ii1ts tee COHSQQUERHT' w 1 ene cuticle J3. 1 ii'ictioii s r we Li. 11.1

conditions Water level iii KlllgllOZZlS so time in epposite directions, hotli OlltW& inwzmily, m the i"esisective mixes with the movingcoliiiili OI W888? Sheulcl it be desirable, however, to blow set the orifices 36 enl 3? for cleaning L- 1 the compressed. air supply f: m ieltis, ring nozzles, sey 01 example 3%, is c edi ing tlms described my iiive p'z-ion I by closing the valve 14:, which eclinits a claim 11d desire protect lay Letters the pipe '26, eiicl at the same time ope e e11 M tetesz the valve 17 which places cipe :26 in J pump, ccmbiiietioii 3 communication with the etmcsplietei is sanction ee, e plurality of nozzles causes at sudden and consiclenlcle clro siipfoczte'l below seicl pipe, eecli nozzle liespisur in th i 26 6 gm Se 4 131g 2 series e1 cliselieige oiiiices, and means Water rushes through the orifices em 1201 fill-alive? T 3 Seicl llczzlssof tie nozzle 3e in e, lim tim 2. it "191111113 the ccmloiiietion 1-; to its usual (10111356., tliiis blowing eut ecliicticii pipe, e pluielity ci sup zpose the collected clirt or se iimeiit. The checl; 110732185 J QP T B l he m Sai pipe e valve il fer tips 26 cleses under this ecti s r (liwieteis each nozzle liming thereby mel ing the 2fG'iBS&ll;Olflfi"6S ser es {llSG ciiiices, encl meeiis 37 of the ring nozzle silly et 1* th clcilvering eir 'uZU' seicl nozzles, Water 3 pipg 26 ancl gonsgqugi fly a $11 3. in all air 13111113), iI-llfi COmlElEEtlOi'l 3'3 ougli flushing and cleaning telzes piece. ecliicticii pipe, e plurality of superpose connection with this reversel ii-owing nozzles supportecl below said pipe, eecli iiciz through the orifices it should b noted zle consisting :t e ring having sees the cleecsiiig operation may selectively take at criiices eiie sezies 'clisclierging in 121:} piece encl any one of the nozzles Glee-lied clircction and the other seies iia eiictller clicc if desired ell "be clean-eel cece section, and means for delivering air to seicl tiioiigh this letter is :10 generally etiviseele nozzles.

e et ective results may be obtained.

lcy sever 2353i} nazaeoe nozzles of ring form decreasing respectively in diameter from said ipe, each nozzle having two series of o ces arranged to discharge in opposite directions, means for delivering compressed air to said nozzles, and means to support said nozzles below said eduction pipe.

6. In an air lift pump, the combination ofan ecluction' pipe, a plurality of superposed nozzles of ring form supported below said eduction pipe, each nozzle having two series of orifices, one series being arrangedto discharge away from the axis of the nozzle and the other series being arranged to discharge toward the axis of the nozzle, and means to deliver compressed air to all of said nozzles.

7. In an air lift pump, the combination of an eduction pipe, a plurality of su erposed nozzles of ring form supported be ow said eduction pipe, each nozzle having two series of orifices one series being arranged to discharge away from the axis of the nozzle and the other series being arranged to discharge toward the axis of the nozzle, means to deliver compressed air to all of said nozzles, and manually controlled means for causing a reversal of the direction of fluid flow through said orifices whereby said nozzles are flushed and cleaned.

til;

i 8. A foot piece for an air lift pump consisting of an annular body, a plurality of ring nozzles of different diameters, and means to support said nozzles in axial alinement with said body.

9. A foot piece for an air lift pump, consisting of an annular body having a chamber therein and a plurality of orifices, rality of rin nozzles in axial alinement with said ha y, and means for supplyin compressed air to said chamber and to said nozz es.

10. A foot piece for an air lift pump consist of a plurality of annular nozzles, each aving a series of discharge orifices normally submerged, means to introduce air under pressure to said nozzles to be discharged through said orifices, and means to cause a reversal of the direction offluid flow through said orifices whereby water enters orifices are flushed said nozzles and said and cleaned.

11. A foot piece for an air lift pump'consisting of a plurality of submerged nozzles, means to introduce air under pressure to said nozzles to be discharged outwardly into the body of water, and selective means for causing a reversal of the direction of fluid flow through any nozzle whereby water enters the selected nozzle for'cleaning purposes. i

12. A root piece for an airlift pump consisting of a plurality of submerged nozzles arranged in superposed relation, independent means for supplyin each nozzle with air under pressure, an separate control means for the respective supplying means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of May,'1918.'-

L. T. EDWARDS. 

